Cooking appliance



Sept. 21, 1943. J. R. HEILMAN COOKING APPLIANCE Filed Feb. 3 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR JO$EPH R.H.E1.LMAN'.

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ATTORNBZ WITNESSES:

Sept. 21, 1943. J. R. HElLMAN COOKING APPLIANCE Filed Feb. 5, 1940 2 Sheet=-Sheet 2 Y m N R w 0 mm m P... Y H B P E M 7 J r i A ON MN .w\ 2 s u E fl\ S m m H m Patented Sept. 21 1943 2,329,760 COOKING APPLIANCE I Joseph R. Heilman, Ma

Westinghouse Electri nsfield, Ohio, assignor to c & Manufacturing Company, East Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application February 3, 1940, Serial No. 317,083

' Claims.' (01. 219-35) My invention relates to a cooking appliance, more particularly an appliance comprising a top platform and a roaster well disposed just below the platform, the platform being formed with an opening through which access to the interior of the roaster is obtained.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved appliance of the character set forth.

A particular object is to provide a structure devoid of cracks or crevices between the top of the platform and the roaster well to become filled with dirt or food particles.

A further object is to minimize flow of heat from the well to the platform.

Another object is to provide a structure wherein the removable inset pan is supported by the platform rather than by the roaster Well.

A further object is to provide a structure wherein the platform is free of parts attached thereto and is readily removable to provide access to in-, terior assemblies and connections.

These and other objects are eifected by my invention as will be apparent from the following description and claims taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application, in which:

Fig. l is a perspective view, with parts broken away, of a combination roaster-broiler hotplate unit in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view; and,

Fig. 3 is a detail view in vertical section. L

Referring to the drawings in detail, I show a cooking appliance I0, which is adapted for roasting, broiling and surface cooking, and which may be referred to as a combination roaster-broilerhotplate. An electric roaster II is incorporated in the right-hand portion of the appliance and a combination broiler and hotplate I2 is incorporated in the left-hand portion.

The appliance I0 comprises a body portion I3 which includes a front wall I4, a rear wall I5, side walls I6 which extend downwardly to the floor and serve as legs for the appliance, and a bottom wall I1. A shelf I8 may be mounted on the side walls I6, as shown in Fig. 1.

A platform I9 forms a top or cover for the body portion I3 and is removably mounted thereon. The platform is formed with flanges 20, which extend downwardly in alignment with the front and side walls of the body portion and form continuations thereof. It is also formed with flanges 2| extending inwardly from the lower edges of the flanges 20 and resting on inwardlyextending flanges 22 of the front and side walls. The flanges 22 of the side walls have flange portions 23 extending upwardly to position the adjacent flanges 2i sidewise. Clips 24 are secured to the front wall flange 22, as by spot welding, and are adapted to engage the adjacent flange 2I upon moving the platform rearwardly, as will be apparent from Fig. 1. At its rear edges, the platform I9 has a downwardly-extending flange 25 which is adapted to overlap th rear wall I5 and to be secured thereto by screws 26. I

To assemble the platform IS on the body portion I3, the front flange 2I is first engaged under the clips 24 and the platform is then moved rearwardly. The rear edge is then lowered until the side flanges 2| rest on the side wall flanges 22, and th flange 25 is then fastened to the rear wall I5 by means of the screws 26.

It will thus be apparent that the platform may be readily mounted on the body portion or removed, and that a small number of fastening devices are involved.

The roaster II comprises a roaster well 21, which is disposed within the body portion l3 and supported on the bottom wall I1 by means of legs 28 in such position that the top of the roaster well is disposed a small distance below the platform I9. The roaster well comprises a bottom wall and vertical walls encompassing the interior thereof, and it is open at the top. The roaster well is provided with an electric heating element 23 disposed about the sides thereof as shown in Fig. 2. Heat insulating material 30 is disposed between the roaster well and the bottom wall I1 and also around the sides of the roaster well, the latter being retained by means of walls 3| disposed in spaced relation to the roaster well 21.

The platform I9 is formed with an opening 32 in registry with the open top of the roaster well and a raised rim 33 extending adjacent and about the opening 32. It is also formed with a flange 34 extending downwardly from the raised rim and projecting a short distance into the open top of the roaster well 21 but disposed in closely-spaced relation in order to minimize flow of heat therebetween. The portion of the roaster Well adjacent the flange 34 is preferably inclined as shown at 35, to "accommodate the flange 34.

A removable inset pan 36 for the roaster has a crown or flange 31 at its upper edge which projects over the portion of the platform I3 adjacent the opening 32, which, in this case, forms the raised rim 33. The outer portion of the flange 31 is curved upwardly similarly to the raised rim 33, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. Preferably, the raised rim 33 is formed with four bosses or raised portions 38 of relatively small area on which the flange 31 rests. The purpose of this arrangement is to provide a slight space between the flange 37 and the major portion of the area of the raised rim in order to minimize the flow of heat therebetween. In the illustrated embodiment, the inset pan is supported through the flange 31 resting on the bosses 38, with the walls of the inset pan conforming to the shape of the roaster well and disposed in slightly spaced relation thereto. The flange 31 is also formed with a groove 35 to receive the edge of a roaster cover so, the latter being provided with a handle 4 l The combination broiler and hotplate l2 comprises an open heating unit =32 adapted to radiate heat both upwardly and downwardly,

and disposed across an opening 43 formed in the platform l9. It includes a skeleton wire frame 44 and a heating element or elements 45 attached to the frame by insulating grommets 4E. The heating unit 42 is supported on the body portion l3 by vertical supports d1 secured to the bottom wall H. For example, the frame M may rest on flanges 48 formed 'at the top of the supports 41 and may be provided with downwardly-extending projections 49 insertedthrough openings in the flanges A8 for locating the heating unit horizontally. A frying plate i] is adapted to rest directly on the frame 54. Alternatively, other cooking vessels may be placed directly on the frame 44.

vA suitable rack 5! is provided for supporting articles of food below the heating unit 52 to be broiled by radiant heat therefrom. It is supported .in a drawer 52, which is provided with groups of supports 53 adapted to support the rack 5! at differentheights. The drawer 52 is slidably supported on the supports, at 54. It is provided atits front .end with a handle 55 for actuating the same.

From the above description it will be seen that I have provided a construction of cooking appliance wherein the platform acts as a trim or cover and supports only the roaster inset pan and the roaster cover. The platform is free of attachments and is readily mounted or removed. When it is removed, the interior assemblies and connections are readily accessible. A further advantage is that the platform does not come into direct contact with the inner well, thereby eliminating chipping of the enamel and prevents ing heat conduction. The platform does not have any of the usual depressed ledges or lugs for sup- -porting the roaster, thus eliminating the cracks and crevices that would become full of dirt and food particles. It can be easily kept clean.

While I have shown my invention in but one form, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that it is not so limited, but is susceptible of vari= ous changes and modifications without departing from the spirit thereof, and I desire, therefore, that only such limitation shall be placed thereupon as are specifically set forth in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a cooking appliance, the combination of a body portion, a platform closing the top thereof, an open top roaster well disposed just below said platform and supported on said body portion,

. means for heating aid roaster well, said platform having an opening registering with the open top ofsaid roaster well and a flange at the edge of said opening projecting downwardly into the open top of said roaster well but disposed out of contact with the roaster well to minimize flow of heat therebetween, and an inset pan disposed in said wellyand conforming to the shape thereof, said inset pan having a flange overlapping the marginal portion of said platform adjacent said opening.

2. The combination as set forth in claim 1, wherein said flange and the overlapping marginal portion are convexed upwardly.

3. The combination set forth in claim 1, wherein said inset pan is supported through said flange resting on said marginal portion of said platform.

4. The combination set forth in claim 1, wherein said marginal portion is formed with a plurality of bosses or projections of small area on which said flange rests, whereby flow of heat between said inset pan and said platform is minimized.

5. In a cooking appliance, the combination of a body portion, a platform disposed on top of said body portion and having an opening therein, a receptacle adapted to be inserted through said opening and having a flange overlying the adjacent edge portions of said platform, and a second receptacle or well disposed below and enveloping said first receptacle and being supported by said body portion'indep-endently of said platform, said second receptacle comprising spaced inner and outer vertical wall members, heat insulating material between said inner and outer wall members, and heating means disposed between said inner and outer vertical wall members and adjacent to said inner vertical wall member to heat the latter, the top of said second receptacle being disposed adjacent but spaced from said platform and thermally isolated therefrom, said platform being mounted on and supported by said body portion and being removable therefrom independ ently of said second receptacle.

JOSEPH R. HEILMAN. 

